Errin Eppinette, 16, and D.J. Seymour, 2, background, along with Cati Eppinette, 14, play in the swimming area at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Riverton Beach Recreation Area near Columbia.

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For Bobby Phillips, there's no better place in northern Louisiana to fish in the summer than the Ouachita River and its connected lakes and tributaries.

He's spent years advising fishermen on the best bets for landing the big one by issuing fishing reports from The Honey Hole, an iconic tackle store in West Monroe.

Phillips said he and anglers like him can fish about 300 miles of water from the Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge south to Columbia's locks. Throughout that expanse and numerous boat launches, which Phillips said just makes things that much easier. ...